Reflections : Final student project

Unmediated; Near Shoreline

plaster of paris, animal, mineral, and vegtable.

This work considers our unmediated response and physicality with nature.

As humans we tend to see ourselves as not part of nature we see nature as different and to be used as commodity… yet as humans we are part of nature.

Discovering through research that we spend over 90% of life indoors and the loss/neglect of over 54 natural senses, a growing disconnection in western society which now thrives on capitalist, consumer, commodity, we are increasingly alienated not only from people but nature also.

Through the work I am attempting to alert and encourage the viewer to consider their own standing or /alienation in relation to nature and aim to encourage the viewer to respond in someway to encourage an active connecting in a deeper way with nature which plays a key/fundemental role in our wellbeing.

Research done in recent times by Jain Malkin has shown the “effect of nature on humans …thoroughly studied…shows humans have physiological and emotional responses to nature.”

Contextualising

Polish Installation Artist Frans Krajcberg who having experienced trauma associated with the loss of his family to the Holocaust, eventually leaving europe for Brazil, Krajcberg lived in a cave in the forest for a number of years… recovering from his ordeal his art emerged from the nature around him.”In the aftermath of war he wanted to run away from humankind.”

Krajcberg said “Nature gave me my strength,pleasure of feeling,thinking ,working, and surviving…up to now I have not dominated nature I have learned worked with it.

Krajcberg says “The problems imposed by technological evolution are pollution…Artistic thinking confirms with sorrow that contemporary society is a commercial machine.”

Krajcbergs art and story has greatly influenced and inspired my work he used the natural elements of the forest to get his messages across In similar vein I attempt to use my reponse to elements from the shoreline.

Krajcberg,Brazilian Sculptor /Artfocusmagazine.com by leon Kaplin,1999.

Gwyneth Scally has enabled another perspective she said ” the need to recreate nature is what my art is all about.” Scally believes we have a longing to get back to nature.

Richard Long inspired me to consider the circle in this work he says “circles lines they look good they are abstract and common knowledge, they belong to everyone and equally the past, present, and future” Long also said, ” let earth teach us the renewing powers of nature.”

There are symbolic aspects to this work such as the placing of works on 7 plinths -7 being a number of significance in nature. In a circle which represents wholeness and movement, the circle encourages the viewer to engage physically and walk around the work (Hopfully in a clockwise direction) deliberately constructed plinths at a height of 90cm, where one has to stoop and look at each individual work and consider the gestures of each pair hands which are receptively open. The elements within the hands are animal, mineral and vegtable again highlighting the natural elements found along the shoreline, I hope that the work engages the viewer to consider the natural aspects such as textures, patterns, colour, shape, design.

Thomas Merton succinctly articulates his thoughts about nature.

‘One has to be alone under the sky before everything falls into place and one finds his or her own place in the midst of it all. we have to have the humility to realise ourselves as part of nature.’ Thomas Merton (1915-1968).

SEE FILES FOR UNMEDIATED RESEARCH AND CONTEXTUALIZING.

‘One has to be alone under the sky before everything falls into place and one finds his or her own place in the midst of it all. we have to have the humility to realise ourselves as part of nature.’ Thomas Merton (1915-1968).

My current work considers the need to reconnect with nature, it was born out of a personal realistion of my own growing disconnection.

Through this project I focus on the disciplines of sculpture, media installation and painting to encourage the viewer to consider their own relationship with the natural world.

Hand Sculpure.

‘Unmediated’

William Blake said ‘…but to the eyes of the man with imagination nature is imagination itself’ (1757-1827).

The work considers the unmediated experience of nature by including elements found along the near shoreline, I aim to draw attention to our need to physically reconnect and to be more attuned to our sensory selves.

I have been inspired by artists such as Frans Krajcberg whose own journey towards a more holistic nature centered life influenced his installation works.

T.V. Media Installation.

‘Mediation-a transposing of nature’

This installation was influenced by my Dissertation research concerning the impact of Mass Media which entices the individual into a passive role- a disengagement from reality. Situationist Guy Debord and artist Nam June Paiks both comment on how television encourages passivity.

William Irvine observes ‘We are suffering a kind of hypnosis, a cultural trance that prevents us from seeing things the way they really are.’ This echoes Jean Baudrillard theory of simulcra and hyperreality.

This piece points to a growing disconnection from nature. In Western society especially we tend to see ourselves as seperate from nature, viewing it as commodity. Yet as humans we are part of nature.

Research shows industrialised societies spend over 90% of life indoors and neglect many of our 54 senses due to this detrimental disconnection from nature. Industrialised societies thrive on capitalist consumer commodities and therefore we are increasingly alienated not only from other people but from nature also.

Paintings.

‘The Distant Horizon’ series.

Capturing elements of nature through paint.

Through the delicate balance of layering washes I was able to create interesting effects.

The works are based on the distant horizon that I feel speak of a sense of solace found in our encounter with nature. I have attempted to capture the essence of fragilility, sereninty and translucency within the works.

Through the scale, I have also attempted to convey a sense of sublimity, of the meeting of sky and sea,… the line on the distant horizon, which creates an awareness of space and equilibrium.

I was influenced by Georgia O’Keefe’s spatial awareness, and Peter Doig’s layering of washes that bleed or vertically run into one another, depicting the horizontal aspects within landscapes.

The works are also influenced by William.H. Davis’ poem on nature, which encourages us to ‘Stand and Stare.’ (1871-1940).

Through these works I attempt to alert and encourage the viewer to consider their own standing or alienation in relation to nature, aiming to further stimulate an active response- nature plays a fundemental role in our wellbeing.

On wednesday 23rd april,at UCS, I met with Matt the film technicain who worked with me and showed me how to edit 3 small films made of the shoreline sea sky and horizon, I edited parts not nessesary and linked the 3 films into 2minute bites…then uploaded them onto a R- DVD, ready for either t.v or a projection. unsure of which at present so have given myself options.

I also collected my Deckchair from argos in preparation for the installation based on “Mediation of Nature” (Shoreline) onto tv.This installation is influenced through research done in my dissertation and inspired by Jean Bourriauds ideas on simularcra and the Hyperreal. He says “We live in a world where there is more and more information and less and less meaning.” Writer and 1960’s Situationist, Guy de bouard and artist, Nam June Paiks ideas on how tv encourages the passivity of the viewer.In my work I attempt to make a point of our growing disconnection from nature, especially within Western society, how we tend to see ourselves as not part of nature we see nature as different to be used a commodity… yet as humans we are part of nature.Discovering through research that we spend over 90% of life indoors and dont use 54 of our natural senses due to this disconnection from nature society thrives on capitalist, consumer, commodity, we increasinlgly are alienated not only from other people but nature also.

Through the work I am attempting to alert and encourage the viewer to consider their own standing or /alienation in relation to nature and aim to encourage the viewer to respond in someway to consciously and actively reconnect with nature.This reconnection is also my own personal response and journey to reconnect with nature having come to terms with my own disconnection and realisation nature plays a key/fundemental role in our wellbeing.

Research done in recent times by Jain Malkin has shown the “effect of nature on humans …thoroughly studied…shows humans have physiological and emotional responses to nature.”

I am reminded here of my research on Polish Artist Frans Krajcberg who having experienced trauma associated with the loss of his family to the Holocaust eventually left europe for Brazil where he lived a cave in the forest for a number of years… recovering from his ordeal his art emerged from the nature around him.”In the aftermath of war he wanted to run away from humankind.”

Krajcberg said “Nature gave me my strength,pleasure of feeling,thinking ,working, and surviving…up to now I have not dominated nature I have learned worked with it.

Krajcberg says “The problems imposed by technological evolution are pollution…Artistic thinking confirms with sorrow that contemporary society is a commercial machine.”

Krajcberg,Brazilian Sculptor /Artfocusmagazine.com by leon Kaplin,1999.

T.V. Opiate of the people.

William Irwin Thompson said ” We are suffering a kind ofcollective hypnosis, a cultural trance that prevents us from seeing things the way they really are.”

Also artist Gwyneth…….

The distant Horizon – Painting

Today I compleated two acrylic wash painting’s that I have been working on over the last ten days.

I feel that they have developed well through the experimenting and application of wash applied, using both wet on wet (which allowed paint to bleed into one another) and ( wet on dry areas) through the delicate balance of layering the wash over wash technique used, I was able to create interesting layers, the works based on the distant horizon that I feel speak of a sense of solace found in our encounter with nature. I have attempted to capture the essence of fragilility, sereninty, and translucency, within the works.

The painting’s are best viewed in close proximity because of the opaque translucencey and to get the benefit of the delicate layering of acrylic wash I used.

Through the scale, I have also attempted to convey a sense sublimty, of immersion, defined by the meeting of sky and sea… the line on the distant horizon, which creates an awareness of space and equilibrium through looking deep into the distant horizon… defined by the meeting of sky and sea..

I found Georgia O’keefes use of paint application and technique, along with her ability to create a sense of spacial awareness influencial, particularly in works such as, Blue and Green Music.see image.

I have also been inspired by Peter Doigs works, using his paint technique’s through layering washes that bled or vertically run into one another… and how these works often depict the horizontal aspects within landscape’s which draws the viewers attention into the scene.

I feel if my works are viewed close up the effects of the paint created by the layering and the colours I employed will allow a sense of being drawn into the scene.

The works are infulenced by William.H. Davis poem on nature, Which encourages us to ‘Stand and Stare.’ (1871-1940)

William Blake also addresses nature in a quote ‘ The tree which moves some to tears of Joy, is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way… some see nature all redicule and deformety…some scarce see nature at all. But the eyes of the man with imagination, nature is imagination itself.’ (1757- 1857)

I also found inspiration in Alain de Botton’s ideas in art as therapy, the he identifys Venitian Glass with – fragility…delicate, transparent Venitcian “glassware best… ever known.(he links the idea of the glasses fragility with mans own fragility)… Most of the time, we have to be strong. We must not show our fragility. We’ve known this since the playground. There is always a fragile bit of us, but we keep it very hidden. Yet Venetian glass doesn’t apologise for its weakness. It admits its delicacy; it makes the world understand it could easily be damaged.”

Whilst working on these paintings I was reminded by Chagalls quote ” Colour is everything,when colour is right, form is right.”

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/jan/02/alain-de-botton-guide-art-therapy